South Korean police have arrested a 40-year-old man for creating and sharing an AI-generated photo of an escaped wolf, which misled authorities during a nine-day search. The photo, depicting the wolf named Neukgu trotting down a road intersection, prompted an urgent relocation of search operations and a city-wide emergency alert.
The man, whose name has not been released, told police he made the image "for fun." He faces charges of disrupting government work by deception, which carries up to five years in prison or a fine of 10 million Korean won ($6,700; £5,000).
The hunt for Neukgu, a two-year-old Korean wolf from O-World zoo in Daejeon, captivated the nation. The wolf escaped on April 8 and was finally captured near an expressway nine days later. President Lee Jae Myung even publicly prayed for its safe return.
Since Neukgu's return, the city has seen a surge in popularity for the wolf, with a local bakery selling pastries featuring its face and consideration for making it an official mascot. However, the zoo has stopped posting updates to ensure Neukgu a calm recovery.
The case highlights the potential for AI-generated content to cause real-world disruption, especially in high-stakes situations like animal escapes.